High current precision resistance measurement system

ABSTRACT

A resistance testing apparatus makes use of a modular design for cascaded, parallel, bipolar current sources to obviate the need for electromechanical or pneumatic switching systems.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/240,191 entitled “High Current Precision ResistanceMeasurement System” filed Sep. 29, 2008 which claims the benefit ofpriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/975,544 entitled“High Current Precision Resistance Measurement System” filed Sep. 27,2007, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to current extenders and precisionresistance measurement systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Testing the resistance of an unknown resistor can be performed in anumber of ways. Typically, it involves applying a known voltage acrossthe resistance and measuring the current flow through the resistor, ordriving a known current through the resistor and measuring the voltagedifferential across the resistance. Driving a known current is acommonly preferred technique due to accuracy of current sources andvoltmeters in comparison to voltage sources and ammeters.

In conventional testing systems, testing is accomplished by putting anunknown resistance in parallel with a known resistance value. It iscommon for both the known and unknown resistances to be connected to acommon ground. A known current is driven through the circuit, and avoltage reading across the parallel resistance is taken. A simple Ohm'slaw calculation can be made to determine the resistance of the overallparallel circuit. The parallel combination of two resistances can thenbe examined to determine the resistance of the unknown resistance. Oneskilled in the art will appreciate that though the discussion thus farhas centered on resistance determinations, the impedance of an elementcan be determined in the complex plane using the same technique.

Measuring the voltage drop across an element after applying a knowncurrent is a preferred technique due to the accuracy of volt meters incomparison to the accuracy of ammeters. To provide high precisionmeasurement systems, the voltmeter must be used in a range that providesa great deal of accuracy. To ensure that the measured voltage is in thisregion, a large current may be required. For low value resistances, ahigh driving current is required to prevent the voltmeter from providingresults with high percentage errors.

The use of high current sources in measurement systems creates severaldifficulties, especially where it is important for the power source tobe able to reverse the current direction at fixed intervals.

Conventional implementations of high current resistance measurementsystems have relied on the use of electro-mechanically and pneumaticallyactuated relay contacts to reverse the direct current through theresistance device being measured. Commercial power supplies withseparate controllers are also used so that the current levels can bemeasured.

Reversal of the current is employed to mitigate thermal voltage errorsthat are commonly associated with precision measurement of voltagelevels of single digit and lower voltage values. The reversal of thecurrent through the device cancels the thermal voltage error in themeasurement process. Because of a requirement to provide very precisemeasurements, currents are applied that result in measured values on theorder of a few hundred millivolts or lower. Current reversal can also beemployed to allow equipment to undergo a self calibration routine.

Reversing a current source that is generating a low current iscomparatively easy to do, while reversal of a large current sourcetypically involves the use of physical relay switches. The actuation ofthe relay contacts in conventional systems results in inefficiencies inboth space and power consumption. Separate means are also required tooperate the contacts, and the contact surfaces must be regularlymaintained and inspected to prevent damage due to both mechanicalcontact and electrical arcing.

Conventional high current reversal systems make use of compressed airactuated plungers and large contact surfaces. This allows for control ofthe direction of current, and minimizes the resistance across the relaycontacts. This requires four independent contact pairs so that currentreversal and interconnection of the contacts between the power supplyand the measurement instrument is provided.

The use of current comparator technology has been used extensively inthe measurement of resistances to high accuracy levels of better than 1part per million and currents above 3000 amperes. The problemsassociated with generating and reversing currents above a few hundredamperes were solved with the use of mechanical compressed air operatedrelay contacts and the combining of multiple commercial power suppliesto achieve the necessary current levels. The further commercialexploitation of the technology at the higher current levels has beenlimited due to the high cost of implementation.

The large physical switches introduce mechanical wear as a source offailure, increase the required maintenance regime, dissipate unnecessaryenergy, and as they age, become increasingly unreliable without adedicated maintenance regime.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a high current resistancemeasuring system that does not rely upon mechanical switching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at leastone disadvantage of the prior art switched high current sources.

In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided aresistance measurements system for generating a bi-polar current. Thesystem comprises a bridge and an extender. The bridge has a controller,a digital to analog converter, a current tracking amplifier and acomparator. The digital to analog converter generates a signal having adefined bi-polar current. The current tracking amplifier generates asignal having a defined bi-polar current, and for transmits thegenerated signal to a reference resistor. The comparator receives theoutput of the current tracking amplifier en route to the referenceresistor and controls a switch to either connect a secondary input tothe bridge to ground, or to connect the output of the converter to atest resistance. The extender has a bi-polar amplifier, and acomparator. The bi-polar amplifier receives the output of the converterin the bridge, amplifies the received converter output, and transmitsthe amplified current signal as an output. The extender comparatorreceives the output of the bipolar amplifier, controls a currenttracking amplifier to generate a defined bi-polar current, transmits thegenerated signal to the secondary input to the bridge, and receives theoutput of the current tracking amplifier en route to the secondaryinput.

In embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, thebi-polar amplifier transmits the amplified current signal to the testresistance via the comparator. In another embodiment, each of thedigital to analog converter and the current tracking amplifier in thebridge are responsive to the controller, which receives inputinformation from the bridge and extender comparators and controls thegeneration of output signals from the converter and the bridge amplifierin accordance with predetermined control routines and the received inputfrom the comparators, optionally, the controller determines currentratios between test and reference resistances in accordance with theinputs received from the comparators. In a further embodiment, thebridge comparator controls the switch in accordance with instructionsreceived from the controller, and the switch connects the output of theextender current tracking amplifier to ground, or connects the output ofthe converter to the test resistance to maintain balance.

In a further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention,the system further includes a high current extender having a highcurrent bi-polar amplifier and a comparator. The high current bi-polaramplifier receives as an input, the output of the converter, amplifiesthe received input, and for transmits the amplified signal to the testresistance. The comparator receives the outputs of the high currentbi-polar amplifier and the bi-polar amplifier, controls a currenttracking amplifier to generate a signal having defined bi-polar currentand transmits the generated signal to the input of the bi-polaramplifier in the extender.

In further embodiment, the extender bi-polar amplifier indirectlyreceives the output of the converter in the bridge through the highcurrent extender. In another embodiment, the controller is responsive toeach of the bridge, extender and high current extender comparators, andin accordance with the received inputs controls the generation of outputsignals from the converter and the bridge amplifier in accordance withpredetermined control routines. The controller can be embodied as aprocessor executing stored instructions in an accessible memory. Thecontroller can be used to determine a current ratio between test andreference resistances in accordance with the inputs received from thecomparators. In another embodiment, the comparators are currentcomparator toroids and the controller determines a current ratio betweentest and reference resistances in accordance with the inputs received bythe comparators and a predetermined winding ratio between the toroidsmeasuring the currents.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided areference current measurement system for determining the resistance ofan unknown test resistance. The system comprises a bridge, an extenderand a comparator. The bridge generates a test and reference current,transmits the reference current to a reference resistor, and switchesthe test current between the test resistance and a bridge output. Theextender receives and amplifies the test current from the bridge output,and transmits the amplified test current to the test resistance. Thecomparator determines a current ratio between the test resistance andthe reference resistance, and determines the unknown resistance inaccordance with the current ratio.

In an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, thecomparator includes a series of toroidal current comparators receivingthe currents supplied to the test and reference resistances which alsotransmit the received currents as an output. In another embodiment, thecomparator includes a processor for determining the unknown resistancein accordance with the determined current ratio and a winding ratiobetween each comparator receiving the currents. In a further embodiment,the extender is a high current extender, and the system further includesan intermediate current extender for receiving from the high currentextender a low current input signal, for amplifying the low currentinput signal to obtain an intermediate current signal, and forgenerating a balance signal. In another embodiment, the intermediatecurrent signal, and the amplified signal from the high current extenderare provided to the input of a high current toroid in the comparator,the balance signal and the intermediate current signal are provided tothe input of an intermediate current toroid in the comparator, and thebalance signal is provided as to the bridge which can be switched to aninput to a bridge toroid in the comparator. In a further embodiment tothe second aspect of the present invention the comparator includes aprocessor for determining the unknown resistance in accordance with adetermined current ratio between the test and reference resistances anda winding ratio between each toroid receiving the currents.

The present invention provides for a means for measuring low valueresistances at high currents. In one embodiment of the presentinvention, currents up to ±3000 amperes and above are generated andswitched, allowing for extremely high accuracy resistance measurements.

In aspects of the present invention numerous advantages can be realized.Electromechanical and pneumatically actuated relays used for reversal ofthe high current can be obviated, thus allowing a reduction in the sizeof the testing system, and number of mechanical points of failure. Thesystem can take advantage of directly coupled bi-polar high currentamplifiers to supply the positive and negative polarity high testcurrents required for the measurement of the resistance. This allows fora modular design of components, such as the current amplifier modulesand the very high current comparator toroids. The modular nature allowsa multiplicity of high test current and resistance measurement ranges tobe commercially exploited. The modular nature further allows a baseconfiguration to be later expanded to an augmented configuration withoutrequiring the purchase of a new system.

Automatic micro-processor control of the measurement cycle directly froma main low current comparator measurement bridge in which other systemcomponents are directly slaved to the main measurement bridge and fullstability of the measurement can be maintained under all measurementconditions is established using the embodiments of the presentinvention. The present invention provides for a reduction in the totalnumber of high current and control interconnections that are typicallyemployed in integrated measurement systems.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the followingdescription of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction withthe accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a first embodiment of the presentinvention, referred to as the base configuration;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a second embodiment of the presentinvention, referred to as an augmented configuration;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a re-configurable implementationof the augmented configuration; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a test environment employing there-configurable implementation of the augmented configuration inconjunction with a high current scanner/multiplexer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to high current switching precisionresistance measurement systems.

The discussion below should be taken to be exemplary in nature, and notas limiting of the scope of the present invention. The scope of thepresent invention is defined in the claims, and should not be consideredas limited by the implementation details described below, which as oneskilled in the art will appreciate, can be modified by replacingelements with equivalent functional elements.

The invention is herein described in reference to two exemplaryembodiments. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that theparticular embodiments discussed should not be considered to berestrictive of the scope of the present invention. The first embodimentprovides a modular setup that can be used as a precision resistancemeasurement system. In many implementations of this embodiment, a limitto the current supplied will be on the order of ±300 Amperes. This setupcan also serve as the base for the integration of a higher currentsystem. When operating as the base for the higher current system, thisstage of the current source can be configured to provide an output of ±3A. A second embodiment builds a new stage that is coupled to the modulardesign of the first embodiment, and is referred to as an AugmentedConfiguration. This second embodiment couples the base configuration toa very high direct current comparator type of range extender with aseries of integrated directly coupled modular bi-polar currentamplifiers and a means for directly cascading interconnections throughthe intermediate level current range extender.

The base configuration of the first embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 1,while the Augmented Configuration of the second embodiment isillustrated in FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a resistance measurement system 100 makes useof a low current comparator Bridge 102 and an intermediate current rangeExtender 104. The Bridge 102 generates a bi-polar current as directed bymicrocontroller 106. Microcontroller 106 controls amplifier 108, whichis used to amplify a signal. The amplifier 108 is preferably a servocurrent tracking amplifier which can produce an output current in therange of 0-±150 mA. The microcontroller 106 also connects to digital toanalog converter 110 which also provides an output in the range of0-±150 mA.

The second input to amplifier 108 is connected to the winding ofcomparator 112 of the bridge. The 0-±150 mA output of the amplifier 108is also connected to the winding of comparator 112 before it isconnected to the reference resistance (P Ref) 114. A winding ofcomparator 112 is also connected to a switch 118. In one position,switch 118 will provide a connection to ground that feeds to theintermediate Extender 104. In the second position, it will connect atest resistance (P Test) 116 to allow the bridge to test the resistancewith a low current of 0-±150 mA.

The intermediate Extender 104 extends the current test range of Bridge102 in the system 100. It connects to the Bridge 102 to receive bothcontrol information and an input current. Its output is connected to PTest 116 to provide an intermediate level current. In the illustratedembodiment, the intermediate current level is a current range of 0-±3 Adue to the use of a 20× amplifier. One skilled in the art willappreciate that a different output current can be obtained by using adifferent amplifier stage without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

The range Extender 104 includes a bipolar DC current amplifier 120 witha range of 0 to ±3 Amperes (or higher in other embodiments) directlycoupled to the high current primary winding of the integrated currentcomparator 122 and a servo amplifier 124 that provides sufficient lowerlevel current through the secondary winding of the current comparator122 to balance the comparator 122 under all operating conditions. Theoutput of the primary winding is connected to P Test 116 and the outputof servo 124 through the extender secondary winding is connected back tothe automated resistance Bridge 102 and as such the Bridge 102 canmaintain balance within the bridge current comparator 112.

The output of the digital to analog converter 110 in Bridge 102 is theprimary input to the intermediate Extender 104. This output is a signalbetween 0-±150 mA which is provided to a directly coupled bi-polarcurrent amplifier 120. The use of the bipolar amplifier 120 allows theobviation of mechanical switches that are required in the prior art. Themanner in which the Extender 104 connects to the Bridge 102 allows theoverall system to remain balanced, which is a factor in why the priorart maintained its reliance on the mechanical switches. The output ofbi-polar amplifier 120 is passed through the primary winding ofcomparator 122, and is then provided as an output to the Extender 104through P Test 116. Another winding on comparator 122 is used as theinput to servo tracking amplifier 124, whose output is passed through athird winding on comparator 122. This signal (the output of amplifier124) is transmitted back to the Bridge 102 which connects the signal tothe switch 118. When in the first position (as illustrated in FIG. 1),switch 118 connects this output to ground to balance the measurementsystem. In the second position, switch 118 connects the output of thedigital to analog converter 110 to P Test 116, thus providing a currentof 0-±150 mA to P Test 116, as opposed to the output of +0-3 A providedby the output of Extender 104.

This configuration allows the resistance measurement system 100 toperform resistance measurements at much higher currents than the Bridge102 would be able to as a result of its limitation of 0 to ±150milliamperes. This increase in the output makes use of the cascadedconfiguration. The accuracy of the measurement is dependant mainly onthe accuracy of the current comparison within the comparators 112 and122, which is on the order of 1 part in 10 million. In the illustratedimplementation, the base configuration can be integrated directly withinthe main assembly of the low level current comparator resistancemeasurement Bridge 102 such that no manual connections are required withthe exception of connections to the test resistance to be measured. Theutilization of the bipolar directly coupled DC current amplifier 120eliminates the requirement for reversing relays, external currentsupplies and the resulting complexity of interconnections. The use of avoltmeter to measure the potential drop across the test resistance 116and reference resistance 114 can be performed as used in the prior art.However, as discussed above, for an accurate reading, the difference inthe voltage drops across the test resistance 116 and the referenceresistance 114 is driven towards zero, and the comparators 112 and 122are employed to determine the current ratio directed to the tworesistances. Knowing this ratio and the winding ratio of the comparators112 and 122 allows the system 100 to determine the unknown resistance ofP Test 116 to a high degree of accuracy.

An augmented resistance measurement system 130 is illustrated in FIG. 2.The augmented resistance measurement system 130 builds upon theconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 1 with the addition of a high currentcomparator extender 132. The extender 132 includes a high currentcomparator 136 that is connected to a modular bipolar directly coupledhigh current amplifier 134, a servo amplifier 138, and the output ofamplifier 120. The bipolar high current amplifier 134 is directlycoupled through the primary winding side of the comparator 136 to theresistance device P Test 116 and can include multiple modules such thatfull scale currents up to ±3000 Amperes or higher may be attained,preferably in multiples of ±150 Amperes in the present embodiment. Servoamplifier 138 receives its input from comparator 136, and its output isconnected back into the input of the intermediate level Extender 104 andis fed to that stage's bipolar current amplifier 120. The output ofintermediate current amplifier 120 is coupled through the primarywinding of the intermediate level current comparator 122 and alsothrough the secondary winding of the very high current comparator 136such that both the intermediate comparator 122 and the very high currentcomparator 136 can maintain current balance under all operatingconditions. The configuration is completed with the direct coupling ofthe output of the servo amplifier 124 of the intermediate level currentExtender 104 through the secondary winding of the comparator 122 and thecurrent comparator 112 of the Bridge 102 as described in relation to theembodiment of FIG. 1. The utilization of a modular build up of directlycoupled high current amplifiers allows for a multiplicity of currentranges to be implemented and upgraded from ±150 Amperes to ±3000 Amperes(as illustrated in FIG. 2) or higher and also eliminates the requirementfor specially designed very high current pneumatically or otherwisemechanically actuated reversing relay contacts, external commercialpower supplies and the associated more complex interconnections.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the Bridge 102 and Extender 104 of the system130 are configured largely as they were in system 100 of FIG. 1. Onenotable difference is that the input to Extender 104 is routed throughHigh Current Extender 132 which in turn is connected to Bridge 102.Thus, though the input to Extender 104 is still the output of Bridge102, it is not a direct connection.

The output of convertor 110, which in this exemplary embodiment is asignal of 0-±150 mA, is provided to high current bipolar amplifiers 134.These amplifiers are preferably parallel amplifiers that allow, in theillustrated embodiment, an amplification of up to 20,000×, allowing foran output signal ranging from 0-±3000 A. One skilled in the art willappreciate that higher or lower amplification ratios can be employedwithout departing from the scope of the present invention. This outputsignal is passed through the primary windings of comparator 136 and thenprovided as an external output of the stage to P Test 116. A ServoCurrent Tracking Amp 138 receives input from the comparator 136 andprovides its output signal, of 0-±150 mA to the input of the Extender104, which provides the input signal to amplifier 120. The resulting0-±3 A signal is passed through the primary winding of comparator 122,and then through the secondary winding of comparator 136. The comparator122 of the Extender 104 is connected back to the Bridge 102 throughservo tracking amplifier 124 as was described in FIG. 1.

In a presently preferred embodiment, the amplifier 134 is a modularamplifier that can be built as ±150 A modules connected in parallel toallow for an output of ±3000 A. This allows the test resistance to besupplied a reliable bipolar current of 0-±3000 A which is typicallysufficient in most instances to create a potential drop across theresistances that can be measured accurately by the Bridge 102. The knowncurrent ratios can then be used to determine the unknown resistance. Oneskilled in the art will appreciate that other factors can be determinedby knowing the current ratios.

The above described implementations of the present invention reduce thespace, cost and complexity of operation associated with conventionalmeans of implementing resistance measurements with bi-polar currentsabove a few hundred amperes in magnitude. These embodiments obviate therequirement for high current polarity reversing relays and external highcurrent power supplies with the associated interconnections that wouldnormally be used.

In the present invention, multiple directly coupled high currentamplification modules are integrated. They are preferably connected inparallel through high level current comparators into an automatedresistance measurement system. This provides a lower cost means ofmeasuring low value resistances at high currents with a high degree ofaccuracy and precision. In a presently preferred embodiment themeasurement of resistances such as those on the order of 0.1 micro-ohmsor lower with measurement currents as high as ±3000 amperes or highercan be performed with accuracies of 1 part per million. The utilizationof multiple modules of directly coupled current amplifiers connected inparallel in the resistance measurement systems allows for theelimination of the mechanical switches that are commonly pneumaticallyor electromechanically controlled. The prior art reliance on theseswitches increase the cost, interconnections and required maintenancebut they were required to provide the reversal of the measurementcurrent utilized to perform the measurements.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present system, asdiscussed above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 can be characterized as amicroprocessor controlled current comparator resistance measurementbridge. The microprocessor can directly control, either internally orexternally, a number of high current amplifiers directly coupled to oneor more current comparators. The direct coupling of bi-polar amplifiers,in addition to the microprocessor control allow for the obviation ofmechanically, pneumatically or electromechanically actuated relaycontacts and support the cascading of the multiple current comparatorsto augment the measurement current capability of the measurement bridgeto ±3000 amperes and above. Modularly designed directly coupled bi-polarhigh current amplifiers can be combined in multiples of standard valuesto achieve the desired current range extension. For illustrativepurposes multiples of ±150 amperes has been used in the illustratedexamples above. The modularly designed current comparators can include amodular low level current servo feedback tracking amplifier that can besimply modified to accommodate measurement current range extension atany current level from less than ±1 ampere to upwards of ±3000 amperesor higher by means of modification of the number of wire turns on oneside or the other of the toroidal transformer of a comparator to achievecurrent ratio extensions of a desired value (e.g. 10 to 1 up to 2000 to1 or higher). There are also electrical connections to themicroprocessor controlled current comparator resistance measurementbridge for current comparator toroidal transformers, low level currenttracking servo type amplifiers and directly coupled bi-polar highcurrent amplifiers such that over-all current range extension ratios ofany integral value (e.g. up to and above 1000,000 to 1) can be achievedwithout the use of mechanically, pneumatically or electromechanicallyactuated current relay contacts.

A directly coupled bi-polar high current amplifier can include an inputcurrent terminal that accepts an electrical signal in positive andnegative values needed to make subsequent measurements (e.g. a range of0 to ±150 milliamperes) and an output current terminal that supplies acurrent in direct proportion to and in the same polarity (e.g. in therange of from 10 to 1 up to 20,000 to 1) of that of the input or higher.For illustrative purposes with an input signal of ±150 milliamperes theoutput terminal would provide a current of ±3000 amperes where theproportion is fixed at 20,000 to 1. The fixed proportion can be lowerthan 10 to 1 (e.g. where an input signal of ±150 milliamperes isprovided, the output terminal can provide a current of ±1.5 ampereswhere the proportion is fixed at 10 to 1). The modules utilized forcurrents above a base level can have a basic output current provisionfor up to ±150 amperes or somewhat more or less for an input signal of±150 milliamperes more or less. The module output terminals can beconnected in parallel to increase the output current capability. In oneembodiment, 20 or more units can be connected in parallel to provide upto ±3000 amperes or more. The input terminals can also be connected inseries such that the all inputs are in effect driven with the same inputcurrent in the range of 0 to ±150 milliamperes more or less.

The modularly designed current comparators can be modified to include amodular low level current servo feedback tracking amplifier. Thisembodiment can include a high current input terminal with directconnection to the output terminal of the directly coupled bi-polar highcurrent amplifier; a high output terminal for direct connection to theinput terminal of the resistance device to be measured; a toroidal coreof high permeability magnetic material around which is wound a suitablepair of flux detector windings which are utilized to both modulate thecore material and provide a means of detecting the presence of fluxthrough the core; a toroidal core magnetic shield around the core thatshields the modulating and detecting core windings from undesirableexternal magnetic influences; a pair of isolated windings around themagnetically shielded core of which one is a single high current paththrough the core center and another low current winding is a specificnumber of turns such that the ratio may be of any value from 10 to 1 orlower or as high as 2000 to 1 or higher; and a modular low level currentservo feedback amplifier with an input connected directly to thedetector windings of the wound core and with a low current outputterminal that can be connected directly either through the said lowcurrent winding or to the input of a modular directly coupled bi-polaramplifier suitable to maintain an ampere turn balance within the corematerial. In a presently preferred embodiment the directly coupledbi-polar current amplifier of the lower current comparator is cascadedby connecting the high current amplifier output in series through thehigher current winding of the lower current comparator and the lowercurrent winding of the higher current comparator. In such aconfiguration, the low level current servo feedback amplifier with itsinput directly connected to the detector windings of the lower currentlevel comparator is connected in series through the low current windingsof the same lower current comparator such as to maintain ampere-turnbalance within its core material and with provision of a low currentterminal for direct connection to the current comparator of themeasurement bridge.

The comparator of the measurement bridge can be modified to include aninput and an output terminal as well as a means for electronicallycontrolling the measurement. The output terminal can be directlyconnected to the input terminal of the directly coupled bi-polar highcurrent amplifier. This allows for the high current output of thebi-polar high current amplifier to be controlled. The input terminal canbe directly connected to the output terminal of the lower currentcomparator as a means of maintaining ampere-turn balance of theresistance measurement bridge current comparator. There can also be ameans for electronically controlling the measurement process such thatthe desired current output to the resistance to be measured is directlycontrolled by the resistance measurement bridge and the resistance ratioof the resistance being measured to that of a reference resistance canbe measured and displayed automatically.

Referring to FIG. 3 there is depicted a re-configurable implementationof the augmented resistance measurement system 130 as described anddepicted in FIG. 2. Accordingly re-configurable system 300 comprises theBridge 102 and Extender 104 as discussed supra in respect of FIGS. 1 and2 are depicted together with the high current extender 132 as discussedsupra in respect of FIG. 2. As such the re-configurable system 300 mayprovide three output current ranges to the test resistance 306 basedupon the configuration of the first to fourth configuration switches 301through 304 respectively. In a first configuration the output of the DAC110 is routed by switch 118 to the bridge output C1A of the Bridge 102.In a second configuration the output of the DAC 110 is routed to theamplifier 120 within the Extender 104 and thereby to the extender outputC1B of the Extender 104. In a third configuration the output of the DAC110 is routed to the high current bipolar amplifiers 134 within the HighCurrent Extender 132 and therein to the high current extender outputC1C. Coupling these three outputs to the fourth configuration switch 304allows the selected current range, for example ±150 mA, ±3 A, or ±3000A, to be coupled to the test resistance 306. The other side of the testresistance 306 being coupled to bridge input port C2A of Bridge 102 andextender input port C1B of High Current Extender 132. First and secondconfiguration switches 301 and 302 manage the routing of the output ofthe DAC 110 to the Extender 104 and High Current Extender in the secondand third configurations and the routing of the Servo Current TrackingAmp 138 to the input of amplifier 120 in the third configuration. Thirdconfiguration switch 303 manages routing of the output port of theamplifier 120 between the fourth configuration switch 304 and comparator136 in the second and third configurations respectively.

Accordingly, where the first to fourth configuration switches 301through 304 are controlled through a controller, not shown for clarity,together with switch 118 then the re-configurable system 300 providesmultiple programmable output ranges such as the ±150 mA, ±3 A, or ±3000A discussed above provided by exemplary embodiments of the Bridge 102,Extender 104, and High Current Extender 132. It would be evident to oneskilled in the art that the re-configurable system 300 may beimplemented in a modular manner such as for example by providing Bridge102, Extender 104, and High Current Extender 132 as discrete unitstogether with first to fourth configuration switches 301 through 304.Alternatively as first to third configuration switches 301 and 304relate to interconnections and input/outputs of Extender 104 and HighCurrent Extender 132 these may be provided within a single module withthe High Current Extender 132. It would also be evident that the HighCurrent Extender 132 which within the embodiments above provides ×20,000multiplication of the output of the DAC 110 may be similarly implementedin modular format either through multiple amplifier stages with singlecomparator stage or multiple High Current Extenders 132 with appropriateswitching elements. It would be further evident that the fourthconfiguration switch 304 may alternatively be a 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, of 1:Nswitch rather than the 1:3 switch depicted.

High Current Extender 132 in FIGS. 2 and 3 is depicted as beingimplemented with multiple high current bipolar amplifiers 134.Accordingly High Current Extender 132 may provide multiple outputcurrent ranges with the provision of additional primary windings withappropriate switching elements to provide more output current options.Alternatively it would be evident to one skilled in the art that themultiple high current bipolar amplifiers 134 may be similarly switchablyengaged thereby providing additional output current ranges for theresistance measurement systems described above in respect of FIGS. 2through 4. It would also be evident that alternatively multiple HighCurrent Extenders 132 may be employed with different gain factors andmaximum output current range to provide a modular approach to currentsof ±3000 A or higher.

Now referring to FIG. 4 there is depicted an automated multipleresistance measurement system 400 according to an embodiment of theinvention. As depicted multiple resistors R1, R2, . . . , Rn are coupledto a High Current Scanner/Multiplexer 420 to which a Current MeasurementSystem 410 is connected, such as discussed above in respect of FIG. 3with re-configurable system 300 which is a programmable version ofaugmented resistance measurement system 130 described in respect of FIG.2 above. Also depicted is a control channel which provides controlsignals to the High Current Scanner/Multiplexer 420 and CurrentMeasurement System 410 through a standard interface/protocol including,but not limited, to RS232, IEEE-488, USB, Ethernet and I2C. The outputport C1 of the Current Measurement System 410 corresponds to the outputof the fourth configuration switch 304 and the port C2 to the connectionat the other end of the test resistance 306 coupled to C2A and C2C inFIG. 3. Accordingly each resistor R1, R2, . . . , Rn is therebyconnected to C1 at one end through the High Current Scanner/Multiplexer420 and to C2 at the other end.

Additionally the potential output connections x−P1 and x−P2, where xrepresents the resistor position with respect to High CurrentScanner/Multiplexer 420, are routed through the High CurrentScanner/Multiplexer 420 to a measurement sub-system such as a Bridge 102for example for measurement purposes. Accordingly it would be evidentthat automated multiple resistance measurement system 400 allows formultiple resistances to be characterized over one or more bipolarcurrent ranges produced by the Current Measurement System 410 with highprecision. Optionally the outputs P1 and P2 are another bridge. It wouldalso be evident that the control channel which provides control signalsto the High Current Scanner/Multiplexer 420 and Current MeasurementSystem 410 may be a separate microprocessor based controller or may bethe microcontroller 106 within the Bridge 102.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended tobe examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may beeffected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the artwithout departing from the scope of the invention, which is definedsolely by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A programmable resistance measurement system for generating a bi-polar current comprising: a bridge having a controller, a digital to analog converter for generating a first signal having a defined bi-polar current, a first current tracking amplifier for generating a second signal having a defined bi-polar current, and for transmitting the generated second signal to a reference resistor, a first comparator for receiving the output of the first current tracking amplifier en route to the reference resistor and for controlling a switch to place the bridge into a first state and a second state, the first state connecting a secondary input of the bridge to ground and the second state connecting the output of the digital to analog converter to an output of the bridge; an extender having a bi-polar amplifier for receiving in a first configuration an output of the digital to analog converter in the bridge and in a second configuration an output of a servo current tracking amplifier in a high current extender, for amplifying the received output, and for transmitting the amplified current signal as an output of the extender, and a second comparator for receiving the output of the bipolar amplifier, for controlling a second current tracking amplifier to generate and transmit a signal having a defined bi-polar current to the secondary input of the bridge, and for receiving the output of the second current tracking amplifier en route to the secondary input of the bridge; and a high current extender having a high current bi-polar amplifier for receiving as an input in the second configuration the output of the digital to analog converter, for amplifying the received input, and for transmitting the amplified signal as an output; and a high current comparator for receiving the outputs of the high current bi-polar amplifier and the bi-polar amplifier in the second configuration for controlling the servo current tracking amplifier to generate and transmit a signal having defined bi-polar current to the input of the bi-polar amplifier in the extender; and a switching matrix having; a first switch circuit for in the first configuration coupling the output of the digital to analog converter in the bridge to the bi-polar amplifier in the extender and in the second configuration coupling the output of the digital to analog converter in the bridge to high current bi-polar amplifier in the high current extender and the output of the servo current tracking amplifier in the high current extender to the input of the bi-polar amplifier in the extender; a second switch circuit for in the first configuration coupling the output of the bi-polar amplifier in the extender to an output of the programmable resistance measurement system, in the second configuration coupling the output of the bi-polar amplifier in the extender to the high current comparator in the high current extender and the output of the high current extender to the output of the programmable resistance measurement system, in a third configuration coupling the output of the bridge to the output of the programmable resistance measurement system.
 2. The programmable resistance measurement system of claim 1 wherein, the switching matrix is provided with at least one of the extender and the high current extender in a module combining the switching matrix with the at least one of.
 3. The programmable resistance measurement system of claim 1 wherein, a first predetermined portion of the first switch circuit is provided with the extender and a second predetermined portion of the first switch circuit is provided with the high current extender; and a third predetermined portion of the second switch circuit is provided with the extender and a fourth predetermined portion of the second switch circuit is provided with the high current extender.
 4. The programmable resistance measurement system of claim 1 further comprising: a high current multiplexer having; an input port coupled to the output of the programmable resistance measurement system for receiving the programmable bi-polar output current in each configuration; a plurality of test resistance ports, each test resistance port for coupling to a test resistance to be measured and receiving at first and second inputs first and second signals generated respectively from either end of the test resistance; and a third switch circuit for coupling the input port to each test resistance port of the plurality of test resistance ports and the respect first and second inputs to first and second output ports of the high current multiplexer.
 5. The programmable resistance measurement system of claim 1 wherein, each of the digital to analog converter and the current tracking amplifier in the bridge are responsive to the controller, which receives input information according to the configuration from at least one of the bridge comparator, extender comparator, and high current extender comparator and controls the generation of output signals from the digital to analog converter and the current tracking amplifier in the bridge in accordance with predetermined control routines and the received input from the comparators.
 6. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 5 wherein, the controller at least one of determines current ratios between test and reference resistances in accordance with the inputs received and is embodied as a processor executing stored instructions in a non-volatile memory.
 7. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 1 wherein, at least one of the bridge comparator, extender comparator, and high current extender comparator is a current comparator toroid.
 8. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 7 wherein, the controller determines a current ratio between test and reference resistances in accordance with the inputs received by the comparators and a predetermined winding ratio between the toroids measuring the currents.
 9. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 1 wherein, the high current bi-polar amplifier provides multiple outputs, each output having a predetermined maximum bi-polar current; and the high current comparator is a current comparator toroid with multiple primary windings, each primary winding relating to an output of the plurality of outputs; and the high current extender further comprises a third switching matrix to selectively provide only one output of the multiple outputs to be coupled via its respective primary winding to the output of the high current extender.
 10. A programmable resistance measurement system for generating a bi-polar current comprising: a bridge having a controller coupled a digital to analog converter and a first current tracking amplifier, the digital to analog converter for generating a first signal having a defined bi-polar current in response to a first received controller input, the first current tracking amplifier for generating a second signal having a defined bi-polar current in response to a second received controller input and a comparator input for receiving a third signal from a first comparator, and for transmitting a generated second signal to a reference resistor output; the first comparator for receiving the output of the first current tracking amplifier en route to the reference resistor, generating the third signal, and for controlling a switch to place the bridge into one of a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state a secondary input of the bridge is connected to ground such that the first signal from the digital to analog converter is coupled only to a first output of the bridge; and in the second state the first signal from the digital to analog converter is coupled to a second output of the bridge to provide the bi-polar current to a resistance being characterised; an extender having a bi-polar amplifier for receiving an output of a servo current tracking amplifier in a high current extender, for amplifying the received output, and for transmitting the amplified current signal as an output of the extender, and a second comparator for receiving the output of the bipolar amplifier, for controlling a second current tracking amplifier to generate and transmit a signal having a defined bi-polar current to the secondary input of the bridge, and for receiving the output of the second current tracking amplifier en route to the secondary input of the bridge; and a high current extender having a high current bi-polar amplifier for receiving the output of the digital to analog converter, for amplifying the received input, and for transmitting the amplified signal as an output to a first high current extender output; and a high current comparator for receiving the outputs of the high current bi-polar amplifier and the bi-polar amplifier for controlling the servo current tracking amplifier to generate and transmit a signal having defined bi-polar current to the bi-polar amplifier in the extender.
 11. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 10, wherein the bi-polar amplifier within the extender is alternatively selectively coupled to the second output of the bridge for receiving the output of the digital to analog converter in the bridge, amplifying the received output, and for transmitting the amplified current signal as an output of the extender.
 12. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 11 wherein; in the first state a test resistance coupled to the second output of the bridge is automatically characterised from a first predetermined negative current to a second predetermined positive current through the controller generating a series of first received controller outputs to at least one of the digital to analog converter and first current tracking amplifier whilst a predetermined reference resistance is coupled to the reference resistor output of the bridge.
 13. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 10 wherein; in the first state a test resistance coupled to the first high current extender output is automatically characterised from a first predetermined negative current to a second predetermined positive current through the controller generating a series of first received controller outputs to at least one of the digital to analog converter and first current tracking amplifier whilst a predetermined reference resistance is coupled to the reference resistor output of the bridge.
 14. The programmable resistance measurement system according to claim 13 wherein, the high current bi-polar amplifier provides multiple outputs, each output having a predetermined maximum bi-polar current; and the high current comparator is a current comparator toroid with multiple primary windings, each primary winding relating to an output of the plurality of outputs; and the high current extender further comprises a third switching matrix to selectively provide only one output of the multiple.
 15. A resistance measurement system for determining an unknown resistance in dependence upon at least a ratio of a test current and a reference current, each current established through setting a state of the resistance measurement system into each of a first state and a second state, the resistance measurement system for generating a bi-polar current, and comprising: a bridge having a controller coupled a digital to analog converter and a first current tracking amplifier, the digital to analog converter for generating a first signal having a defined bi-polar current in response to a first received controller input, the first current tracking amplifier for generating a second signal having a defined bi-polar current in response to a second received controller input and a comparator input for receiving a third signal from a first comparator, and for transmitting a generated second signal to a reference resistor output; the first comparator for receiving the output of the first current tracking amplifier en route to the reference resistor, generating the third signal, and for controlling a switch to place the bridge into one of a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state a secondary input of the bridge is connected to ground such that the first signal from the digital to analog converter is coupled only to a first output of the bridge; and in the second state the first signal from the digital to analog converter is coupled to a second output of the bridge; an extender having a bi-polar amplifier for coupling to the second output of the bridge, receiving the output of the digital to analog converter in the bridge, amplifying the received output, and for transmitting the amplified current signal as an output of the extender, and a second comparator for receiving the output of the bipolar amplifier, for controlling a second current tracking amplifier to generate and transmit a signal having a defined bi-polar current to the secondary input of the bridge, and for receiving the output of the second current tracking amplifier en route to the secondary input of the bridge; and a switching matrix having a first switch circuit for in a first configuration coupling the output of the digital to analog converter in the bridge to the bi-polar amplifier in the extender and in a second configuration coupling the output of the digital to analog converter in the bridge to high current bi-polar amplifier in the high current extender and the output of the servo current tracking amplifier in the high current extender to the input of the bi-polar amplifier in the extender; a second switch circuit for in the first configuration coupling the output of the bi-polar amplifier in the extender to the unknown resistance, in the second configuration coupling the output of the bi-polar amplifier in the extender to the high current comparator in the high current extender and the output of the high current extender to the unknown resistance, and in a third configuration coupling the output of the bridge to the unknown resistance.
 16. The resistance measurement system according to claim 15, wherein in the first state a test resistance coupled to the extender output is automatically characterised from a first predetermined negative current to a second predetermined positive current through the controller generating a series of first received controller outputs to at least one of the digital to analog converter and first current tracking amplifier whilst a predetermined reference resistance is coupled to the reference resistor output of the bridge.
 17. The resistance measurement system according to claim 15, wherein in the second state a test resistance coupled to the second output of the bridge is automatically characterised from a first predetermined negative current to a second predetermined positive current through the controller generating a series of first received controller outputs to at least one of the digital to analog converter and first current tracking amplifier whilst a predetermined reference resistance is coupled to the reference resistor output of the bridge. 